Get 4 Questions To Help You Outwit Hackers

The information an attacker is looking for can be anything from an online password to your bank account details or OTPs to gain access to your accounts. Once the hacker has your required data, he can use it for various attacks.

Social media. You may be surprised, but social media platforms provide one of the main pools where hackers often go looking for the next victim. ... By simply seeing what cars they drive, hackers know how much ransom their victims can afford to pay.

If the computer or device was provided to you by your employer or is used for work, do not try to fix the problem yourself. Not only can you cause more harm than good, but you could also destroy valuable evidence that can be used for an investigation.

1. Ransomware Messages. Ransomware messages are some of the of most apparent signs of network attacks because they often appear on the front page of sites and restrict access to content unless victims pay a specified fee by transferring an online payment to a hacker.

In reality, there are just five specific steps that all companies need to follow to effectively protect against cyber attacks: secure your hardware, encrypt and backup all your data, encourage a security-centered culture, use robust firewall and anti-malware software, and invest in cyber security insurance.

Your passwords are stored in secure systems by using some special algorithms known as "hashing." Hackers try to access these passwords using different techniques, the most popular one is called a "Dictionary attack," where the computer tries over and over again.

A compromised U-M account is one accessed by a person not authorized to use the account. Criminals and hackers target U-M users to gain: Access to the U-M network, processing power, and/or storage they can use to commit crimes.

One way is to try to obtain information directly from an Internet-connected device by installing spyware, which sends information from your device to others without your knowledge or consent. Hackers may install spyware by tricking you into opening spam email, or into clicking on attachments, images, and links in ...

Your System Is Excessively Slow. One clue that you have been hacked lies in the tools a hacker uses and may leave behind. These tools usually come in the form of a virus, trojan or worm that leaves your computer running unbearably slow.